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Pet Snakes provides easy to understand, practical information and facts to help the new snake owner take care of their animals. At Pet Snakes we want to provide information that will help you enjoy your reptile more than ever.

Pet Snakes answers your emails (week 2)

This week readers of pet snakes sent in several emails including:

Moving overseas with pet snakes

Live arrival guarantees from breeders

What to do when the power goes out

Taking your snake to a non-reptile vet

Ordering food online

We will take a brief look at each of those topics in this article.

Email: I’m planning on moving overseas to be with my girlfriend. Can I take my snake with me?

Answer: That question is nearly impossible to answer without knowing what kind of snakes you are planning on taking with you and where you are going. If it was me I’d do a few things to find the answer.

Contact a breeder that specializes in the kind of snake you have and ask if they sell and ship to the country you are going to. If none of them do that is a pretty good indication that your species of snake isn’t allowed.

Contact local officials in the town/city and nation you are moving to. Just ask them if they have any animal regulations you should know about. Most of the time they will send a comprehensive guide about their laws regarding bringing living animals, including pet snakes, into their nation.

Find forums related to snakes and other reptiles that has members from that nation. Ask them the same question you asked us. People who live there should be able to tell you in simple terms what is and isn’t allowed

Good luck getting the answer to your question.

Email: What happens if a snake comes from the breeder dead? Do they replace it?

Answer: Selling pet snakes is a business, and like any other business relies on the reputation of the seller developed through successful transactions. I’ve never known a snake breeder to be unreasonable and refuse to replace a snake that arrives DOA. In fact if you look at the terms and the conditions on almost any snake breeders website you’ll see what kind of live arrival guarantee they have. That guarantee can be rendered null and void if, for example, no one is there to meet the delivery driver on the first attempt at delivery.

But yes, if you’re snake is DOA when it gets to you then snake breeders will honor their commitment. If they don’t, and you’ve done what they asked you to do move on to someone else.

Email: My power goes out from time to time and I’m worried about my snakes is there anything I can do?

Answer: Rest assured you aren’t the only one who has to deal with that issue from time to time. We’ve even written an article about power outages and pet snakes.

Email: I think my snake is sick and needs a vet but there are no reptile vets near me. Can I take it to a regular vet. Please help!

Answer: Start by calling the regular vet and ask if they are even willing to see snakes. Some of them won’t so it would be a waste of time to go in. As for taking a snake to a regular vet instead of taking it to a reptile specialist, in same instances that is fine. The preference is to go to the expert in the field but even a vet that doesn’t regularly work on reptiles can be helpful. Moreover they can often refer you to someone closer than you think. Just because you don’t see a vet clinic listed that specializes in reptiles doesn’t mean there isn’t one. I’ve found one of my favorite vets by chance. Had my dog in for a routine exam and mentioned I kept snakes. The vet examining my dog then went on to tell me she specializes in reptiles, but the clinic itself doesn’t advertise it. Had I not said something to her directly I would have never known. So just because the clinic doesn’t advertise they work on reptiles or other exotic pets doesn’t mean they don’t have someone on staff who can and will.

Email: I have to drive 75 miles one way to get frozen snake food. I’ve seen a few websites to buy online. Is that ok to do?

Answer: You’d have to be crazy not to given your situation. Just be sure someone is there to get the delivery when it arrives and get it into the freezer. Otherwise you’ll come home to a smelly, disgusting mess in a box if it sits around too long.